Lower Your Home Water Bill

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Here are some tips from EcoMedia for saving water, which in turn could help you lower your water bill.

Install a low-flow shower head - On average, showers account for 32 percent of home water use. U.S. federal law now requires that all shower heads sold be low-flow models. Low-flow shower heads deliver no more than 2.5 gallons per minute compared to standard shower heads that release 4.5 gallons per minute. A typical family of four using low-flow shower heads can save about 20,000 gallons of water per year. Also remember, cutting down your time in the shower saves money on your water and energy bills. For every minute the typical American spends in the shower each day, 204 pounds of heat-trapping pollutants are emitted annually for an electric-powered water heater and 94 pounds for a natural gas-fueled water heater.

Install flow restrictor aerators - Placing these inside faucets saves three to four gallons per minute when you turn on the tap. Of course, you can also help out by doing simple things, such as not running water in the sink while soaping your face or brushing your teeth.

Install an ultra-low-flush toilet or a toilet displacement device - Toilets are water hogs. About 40 percent of the water you use in your home gets flushed down the toilet. That amounts to more than four billion gallons of water in the U.S. each day. That’s why federal law now mandates that all new toilets installed for residential use be low-flush toilets. Conventional toilets generally use three and a half to five gallons (sometimes more) of water per flush, while low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons of water or less. If you’re not building a new home, you can still benefit by installing one of these toilets. Still have an old toilet? You can save more than one gallon of water per flush with a displacement device. Place a brick or plastic milk jug filled with water or pebbles in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.

Use water wisely in everyday activities - Run the clothes washer only when full. Take a shorter shower and turn off the water while soaping and shaving to also save a lot of water. Sweep sidewalks and driveways instead of hosing them down. Washing a sidewalk or driveway with a hose uses about 50 gallons of water every five minutes.

Repair leaks - Fix those leaking and dripping faucets as soon as possible. A dripping faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day. A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons per day.